Hansard 29 May 2012 & 31 May 2012: Parliamentary speeches re: Sunshine Coast

[Fares_Fair]

Excerpt from Hansard: Speech by Hon Mark McArdle MP
Tuesday 29 May, 2012
http://www.parliament.qld.gov.au/documents/Hansard/2012/2012_05_29_WEEKLY.pdf#xml=http://www.parliament.qld.gov.au/internetsearch/isysquery/e9030f68-72e5-495c-adb9-cc31ed54c861/4/hilite/

Caloundra Electorate, Infrastructure

Hon. MF McARDLE (Caloundra—LNP) (Minister for Energy and Water Supply) (11.17 am): It is a
pleasure to follow the Leader of the Opposition, who spoke about infrastructure. Of course, on the
Sunshine Coast we know very clearly what she means by infrastructure. The Sunshine Coast university
hospital has not been built but has been delayed for a period of four years, because the previous
government could not get its act together and it could not get the funds together to make it happen.
Therefore, when the Leader of the Opposition stands in this House and talks about infrastructure, she
had better be certain of her facts and look into the background of the Labor government that delayed for
four years the construction of that very important hospital. I can guarantee that under my colleague the
Minister for Health that situation will not continue. He will have his hands on the tiller and he will make
sure that it is built on time and opened on time to provide all the services needed by the people of the
Sunshine Coast for many years to come.
In the past in this place I have spoken about the Caloundra aerodrome and how important it is to
Sunshine Coast residents, particularly Caloundra residents. The aerodrome sits in my electorate and
employs some 140 people. It has been under a pseudo death sentence for 10 to 12 years. In about
September or December 2009, the then Premier stood in this House and said that the aerodrome would
stay. That appeared to secure the tenure of all aerodrome employers and their employees for many
years to come. However, if their leases are to be extended without going to tender, application needs to
be made by the local council, that is, the Sunshine Coast Regional Council, to the Minister for Local
Government. Roughly three years have now transpired and that application has not been made. That is
hanging people, including employees, out to dry and that can no longer be tolerated. It is very important
that the Sunshine Coast Regional Council moves on this. Although documentation was forwarded to
lessees at the end of last year, the situation has not progressed any further. It is absolutely vital that, if
186 Matters of Public Interest 29 May 2012
we are going to retain and expand jobs in this precinct to provide greater incentives and outcomes for
the people of Caloundra, this must be undertaken forthwith. I urge the council to take on board that
issue and move with it quickly.
The second point I intend to take forward in greater earnest this sitting is the Landsborough
Railway Station car park. I have raised this issue in the past. There is a necessity to understand that that
car park is the central hub of the southern end of the Sunshine Coast for the bulk of rail transport.
Hundreds of vehicles use the car park that is available there on a daily basis, spilling out across the
roadways and, indeed, blocking access to shops and businesses. That is deterring people from coming
to Landsborough and using that excellent facility to acquire their goods and obtain the services required
to operate their own businesses. At this point there is land readily available on the other side of the
railway car park that could be used. I started negotiations with the local community. In fact, I met with
Jason Coultis on Friday of last week to again begin the process of ensuring we get an outcome for this
in the near future. Without such an outcome, the congestion around the car park and railway station will
increase as time goes by. That is simply not good for the people who work there, not good for the people
who park there and not good for the economy. Understanding the growth on the Sunshine Coast and the
expected growth in the usage of this car park is very critical to understanding the need to expand the car
park and make it more viable.
Those two issues are very important for my electorate. Again, I will work with the relevant
ministers to ensure we get proper outcomes. I make this one point. Under this government the Sunshine
Coast will no longer be neglected, as it was for many, many years under the rule of Premier Bligh and
Premier Beattie. For too long the Sunshine Coast was ignored to the detriment of the people who work
there and for the aspirations of those people, their children and their grandchildren as well. The tide has
now changed and we on the Sunshine Coast intend to put our case strongly and effectively to the
government to ensure we do obtain what is needed to grow the region in the time to come. Our
population will increase significantly over the next five to 10 years and it is most important that we
achieve the outcome and services we need to grow those services to meet those needs.

[Fares_Fair]

Excerpts from Hansard: Speech by Hon Andrew Powell MP
Thursday 31 May, 2012
http://www.parliament.qld.gov.au/documents/Hansard/2012/2012_05_31_WEEKLY.pdf#xml=http://www.parliament.qld.gov.au/internetsearch/isysquery/e9030f68-72e5-495c-adb9-cc31ed54c861/3/hilite/

Hon. AC POWELL (Glass House—LNP) (Minister for Environment and Heritage Protection)
(8.54 pm): I start by also expressing my appreciation of Her Excellency the Governor for opening this
the 54th Parliament of Queensland. I also ... [removed for brevity]

I also mentioned my university studies in geography and history as
well as politics, but I did not mention I also studied Russian language and culture for four years. I
remember—not necessarily with the fondest of memories—one particular subject on the Russian
Intelligentsia. It was pretty tough going—
Mr Stevens interjected.
Mr POWELL: No, I am not a Communist, member for Mermaid Beach. I am sitting on the wrong
side of the chamber for that. It was pretty tough going but I do recall reading some of the works of Leo
Tolstoy. I need to declare—just in case the member for Mermaid Beach gets carried away again—that I
do not share Tolstoy's eventual anarchistic predilections but Tolstoy did leave us some wise words of
wisdom. It was Tolstoy who wrote—
Joy can be real only if people look upon their life as a service, and have a definite object in life outside themselves and their
personal happiness.
I have chosen—and the people of Glass House have again afforded me the opportunity—to live a
life of service. After three years in the role and with the prospect of serving in the Newman government
for the next three years, I can assure everyone that Tolstoy was spot on. This job, this service, brings
joy.
If I look at just some examples in my own electorate over the last three years of the joy that I have
received because of the work and the outcomes we have been able to achieve in Glass House,
members may get some sense of that joy. I will look at electorate-wide issues and focus perhaps on
public transport. I stood up alongside other members on the Sunshine Coast when Sunshine Coast
commuters were treated with absolute and utter disregard when a new timetable was promoted for the
North Coast rail line.

31 May 2012 Address-in-Reply 433 [page break here]

I thank the member for Caloundra for his support and my fellow colleagues in this chamber. We
stood up for the voices of Sunshine Coast commuters and, whilst not achieving all that we intended,
helped get the then government to back down on its proposed timetable. Even more joyful is the fact
that in electing an LNP government I know that Sunshine Coast commuters will not be facing 15 per
cent fare increases year after year after year. This LNP government is committed to drive down the cost
of living, and we are doing that for Sunshine Coast commuters by halving those fare increases each and
every year.

[Stillwater]

Mr Powell is changing from past rhetoric -- new emphasis on fares and timetable, zero mention of infrastructure improvements. 

[SurfRail]

The fact he knows Tolstoy is actually a Russian is a good sign.  Normally you have to surrender your brain before entering Parliament.